EUROPEAN OPEN 2026, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, March 10-15

Hard not to like Moritz, but I admit I was hoping Kaci would win. I wanted a Kaci-Filler matchup. When Kaci smashed Filler several years ago in the UK Open, it was the only time I ever saw Filler intimidated by another player. Kaci was on the verge of becoming on par with Joshua as the world's No. 1 player.

Then the injury happened. Kaci still twitches sometimes. The final shot he missed on the six, he never misses pre-injury.

Neuhausen earned it, and he has every chance to beat Filler if he plays like that again.
 
sjm said:
Kaci was a little off here, but Moritz was superb, and Kaci has often struggled in matches that, like this one, call for lots of safety play and kicking. Although he has the firepower to run over almost anyone when he's full steam ahead, when he has to fight hard for control of the table, he is not one of the WNT's most elite.
Click to expand...
Kaci has become much better at safeties and kicking since his injury. I just think he didn't show it today. I'd argue he is close to elite, if not elite.

Mortiz, on the other hand, is definitely elite. Amazing for such a young player. That's what really separates from so many under-30 players.
 
jbart65 said:
Hard not to like Moritz, but I admit I was hoping Kaci would win. I wanted a Kaci-Filler matchup. When Kaci smashed Filler several years ago in the UK Open, it was the only time I ever saw Filler intimidated by another player. Kaci was on the verge of becoming on par with Joshua as the world's No. 1 player.

Then the injury happened. Kaci still twitches sometimes. The final shot he missed on the six, he never misses pre-injury.

Neuhausen earned it, and he has every chance to beat Filler if he plays like that again.
Click to expand...
Oh, yeah. I was ringside for that one in London in 2023. Filler's comments after the match spoke volumes. He called himself "a first-row spectator" in that final, the best match we have ever seen Kaci play.

Like you, I think Filler/Kaci in the final would have been exciting, but Moritz was sensational today and deservedly advanced.
 
sjm said:
Let's see what we get from Moritz today. If we get the Moritz that beat Robbie Capito, his chances against Kaci are excellent. If he plays as poorly as he played against Duong, his chances are near zero. Kaci's play has been both solid and consistent from match to match, so he won't go down easily.
Click to expand...

Moritz played well in the first half of the match vs Hoang, but then he faltered. Both and he and Hoang missed shots they normally make.

I'd argue it was nerves more than anything, I contend Matchroom-run majors generate more tension than any event in pool. Once top players go up against each other in the late rounds, they know just one mistake can be costly given the format. The nerves and tension thicken.

Maybe it's the setup. Or the cameras. But most Predator events just dont have the same tension to me as a WNT one.
sjm said:
Filler a big favorite over Mario He, but I recall seeing Mario beat Filler in single elimination at the (?2022?) International 9ball, so you never know.
Click to expand...

Mario He was fading as a top player. This week is the best he has played since 2022 or 2023. He's controlled the table and made the shots he is supposed to make. Positioning and tactical play have been topnotch.

I have always thought his lack of conditioning was a hindrance. But he can beat anyone in a single game.
sjm said:
Josh is clearly the one to beat, but I will resist the temptation to call him a heavy favorite today just because his break hasn't really been working. If his break is even decent, though, he is a heavy favorite, regardless of opponent in the final.
Click to expand...
Filler definitely has not played his best. But he grinds as well as anyone.
 
jbart65 said:
Kaci has become much better at safeties and kicking since his injury. I just think he didn't show it today. I'd argue he is close to elite, if not elite.

Mortiz, on the other hand, is definitely elite. Amazing for such a young player. That's what really separates from so many under-30 players.
Click to expand...
We'll have to agree to disagree here. I don't think Kaci's tactical conceptualization is anywhere near where it has to be to beat guys like Gorst, Filler, Ko Ping Chung, and Biado to the shot in the biggest spots. Guys like Neuhausen and Labutis are, similarly, playing higher percentage pool than Kaci.

All of that said, as far as offensive firepower is concerned, Kaci is super-elite, but just as you suggest, not quite to the level it was pre-injury. I've chatted with him and he has confirmed to me that there are still a few shots on which he fails a little pain.
 
sjm said:
I'm not convinced we are seeing Filler at full steam yet. Yes, even his "B" game will always wow us, and, just like Mike Sigel, he tends to get stronger later in tournaments. but let's see how well he plays tomorrow.

I haven't seen Duong or Zielinski yet but, from what I've seen, Alcaide looks to be in superb form right now and looks super-dangerous.
Click to expand...
Saw an interview where he said the new cloths especially on the tv tables are sliding more than he expected and he's struggling to adapt,but feels confident in his safety game to still win when his positional play is going wrong
 
Last edited:
sjm said:
We'll have to agree to disagree here. I don't think Kaci's tactical conceptualization is anywhere near where it has to be to beat guys like Gorst, Filler, Ko Ping Chung, and Biado to the shot in the biggest spots. Guys like Neuhausen and Labutis are, similarly, playing higher percentage pool than Kaci.
Click to expand...

You only named the game’s very best! Kaci I’d put behind those players, but he’s come a long way. He had too.
 
uk_9_ball_convert said:
Saw an interview where he said the new clothes especially on the tv tables are sliding more than he expected and he's struggling to adapt,but feels confident in his safety game to still win when his positional play is going wrong
Click to expand...


Matchroom just switched to CPBA cloth. Maybe Filler hasn’t played on that cloth much. Perhaps it’s causing him trouble.

Whatever the case, he has missed a bunch of shots. Mario has not taken sufficient advantage and I think it’s going to cost him.
 
Some WNT tidbits:

*The European Open will return to Sarajevo next year. The crowds this weekend have been pretty good. Much better than last year.

*Frazer admitted the Mosconi Cup is in bad shape because of how uncompetitive it is. Hence all the new U.S. events. Trying to give more players a chance to obtain points, generate interest in the U.S. and develop new players. I got the sense MR would be fine with most top foreign players not going to Yuma or Phoenix.

*There was talk Fulda, Germany could get another event. It was home to the first three European opens. I’ve been wondering if Matchroom would create a third big major in Europe. Maybe another event in the style of the Philippines and Arizona opens.

*Jeremy Jones indicated the World Cup of Pool is not dead and that it will come back at some point.

*Announcers talked about some events still not made public yet. Mention of the WPC dates being finalized, but zero talk about Hanoi.
 
skogstokig said:
soufi spent a lot of his match seated.. but i don't think it's the unforced errors as much as the post-break moving game, where they are both big underdogs to the top players.
Click to expand...

Soufi hasn’t really improve tactically since his surprise appearance at the WPC final several years ago.

Sevastyanov didn’t lose to He due to lack of tactics. Mario just controlled the table in that match.

I think Arseni is a more intelligent player who learns from his mistakes. His tactical acumen is improving, but he definitely lacks ’touch’ on safeties. The best players have exquisite ball placement on safeties. Neuhausen showed it off today. Arseni often misses his target. The CB leaks out.

I still think he has a chance to become a star. The next two years are crucial.
 
Up 8-6, Mario made a huge boo-boo not going for a safety on the 2 ball. Filler let him off the hook, but Mario gave the table back. 8-7.

The corner pockets seem a lot tighter today than they played earlier in the week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top